U.S. Coast Guard photo.
HONOLULU — The Coast Guard is responding to a report of an unmanned yellow kayak found offshore of Olowalu, Maui, Saturday.
Anyone with information regarding the ownership of this kayak is asked to please contact the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu Command Center at 808-842-2600.
Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Honolulu received a call from an off-duty Coast Guard reservist at 2:09 p.m., reporting the situation.
The watchstanders immediately issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast requesting mariners keep a sharp look out and report anything of interest to the command center personnel. They also launched a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Maui to search the area.
There are no reported signs of distress or missing persons in the area currently.
Vessel owners are reminded to properly secure small craft in harbors, marinas and on beaches to prevent them being washed out to sea in high surf and storm conditions.
The Coast Guard also offers free "If Found" decal to be placed in a visible location on small, human-powered watercraft through the Operation Paddle Smart program. The information on the sticker can allow response entities to quickly identify the vessel's owner and aid search and rescue planners in determining the best course of action.
The stickers can be obtained for free at local harbormasters, through the Coast Guard Auxiliary, from Honolulu Sail and Power Squadron offices and at select marine retail and supply stores.